Grant Application

To stimulate unusual collaborations, CUCo has set up two granting schemes, the Spark grant and Unusual Collaborations Grant. The grants are designed to enable i. the exploration of an unusual collaboration and ii. The execution of an Unusual Collaboration. The Spark grant is as of now preceded by a training for early/mid-career researchers on expanding one’s interdisciplinary skills, these skills then form the foundation of a future unusual collaboration.

Spark grants aim to stimulate interdisciplinary and unusual collaborations to address societal challenges. The grants do this by offering initial financial support to start building a committed unusual project team with whom to explore the potential of an idea and/or to test whether it can be taken further and developed into a project application, for an Unusual Collaborations grant or another funding scheme. Spark grants are thus a low-threshold stimulus to support connection with others outside one’s own disciplinary background, to initiate collaboration around a research idea, to share knowledge and best practices, and to develop something together.

Unusual Collaborations grants are meant to take an idea or project further by enabling outside-the-box interdisciplinary research that is societally relevant and may aim to contribute to societal impact. In addition to research, proposals may also concern setting up a platform, Centre of Excellence, hub, etc. An Unusual Collaborations (UCo) grant provides funding for one year with the idea that the project will continue beyond the initial funding period of the UCo. For example, through funding elsewhere. These grants are by invitation only, as they need to have been preceded by a Spark grant.

Do you want to be unusual?

To find out about the calls for the grants and opportunities to participate please visit our website. To join the active network of the alliance and receive information on the upcoming activities of the Centre for Unusual Collaborations please contact hello@unusualcollaborations.com to be included on the mailing list. For further information you can contact the CUCo team through hello@unusualcollaborations.com, or get in touch with Ayoub Bagheri or Inge Stegeman.